People and Volunteers

Your people are your organisation’s greatest strength. Whether paid kaimahi/staff or volunteers, having good systems, inclusive practices, and clear expectations helps everyone thrive.
These resources support recruitment, wellbeing, employment relationships, and volunteer management across community and not-for-profit organisations.

 

What is People and Volunteer Management?

People and volunteer management covers how you attract, support, and retain the people who make your mahi possible.

It includes:

• recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers
• creating safe, healthy, and inclusive workplaces
• understanding employment and volunteer obligations
• supporting wellbeing, motivation, and development
• managing transitions such as induction and exit

 

Why is Good People Management Important?

Strong people and volunteer management helps organisations:

• attract and keep the right people
• meet legal and ethical responsibilities
• create positive, inclusive workplace cultures
• support wellbeing and prevent burnout
• deliver better outcomes for communities
• build trust, reduce risk, and strengthen impact

 

For volunteer-involving organisations, clear guidance and support are especially important, as volunteers are giving their time, skills, and energy freely.

 

Tips for Managing Staff and Volunteers

• Be clear from the start about roles, expectations, and support.
• Invest time in good recruitment, induction, and ongoing communication.
• Prioritise health, safety, and wellbeing for everyone involved.
• Use templates and trusted guidance rather than starting from scratch.
• Review and refresh your people practices regularly as your organisation grows.

 

Recruitment, Selection and Induction

Resources to help you attract the right people and set them up well.

 

Recruitment

• Do Good Jobs – A jobs board for paid and volunteer roles in charities, NGOs, and social enterprises.

• SociaLink Pānui/Newsletter – We are happy to advertise your paid local vacancies in our bi-weekly pānui/newsletter.

 

• Volunteering Services – Our team can help you advertise for volunteers using the Seek Volunteer platform – and we can do extra promotion of a selection of these roles in our monthly newsletter that goes out to almost 3000 volunteer-minded recipients. Contact us here.

 

Inclusion

• Te Uru Tāngata (formerly Diversity Works NZ) – The national body supporting organisations to create fair, connected workplaces. Here is there Resource Library.

• Employment NZ – Information on removing barriers to employment for disabled people.

 

Templates and tools

• Selection Form Template > Download editable Word doc – SociaLink

• Employee Exit Interview Template – Employment Hero

• Recruitment, Selection and Induction Video – short video explaining the process and why it matters – Kristie Weatherburn

 

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Keeping people safe and well is a shared responsibility. It includes physical safety and mental wellbeing.

 

Health and safety

• Managing health and safety: Getting started – Understand your rights and responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 – WorkSafe – Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa

• Health and Safety obligations for clubs, societies, and charitable trusts – how the H&S Act applies in the community sector – Law Link

• Health & Safety for volunteers – how the Health and Safety at Work Act applies to volunteers – WorkSafe – Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa

• The Benefits Of Investing In Workplace Health And Well-being – Why investing in physical and mental wellbeing is good for people and good business – Davenports Law

• Work-life balance videos – a collection of TED Talks and related videos

• Talks to help you manage stress – videos with practical ideas for de-stressing and resilience.

 

> NOTE: Info about creating health and safety policies can be found here

 

Employment Relations and Remuneration

Guidance for organisations employing staff.

• Employment rights – authoritative guidance on starting employment, pay, leave, workplace policies, resolving issues, and ending employment – Employment New Zealand

• 5 things that motivate your employees more than money – insights into non-financial motivation – Hays

 

Volunteer Management

Support for organisations that involve volunteers in any capacity.

 

Good practice and legal clarity

• Best Practice Guidelines – national guidance covering what volunteers need, what good practice looks like, and actions organisations can take for screening, onboarding and retention  – Volunteering New Zealand

> NOTE: Also available in video format here.

• Health & Safety for volunteers – guidance on legal responsibilities – WorkSafe – Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa

• Who is a volunteer and why employment law does not apply – Employment NZ

 

Support available

• Volunteering Services (a division of SociaLink) – Our Volunteering Services team champions, grows, and sustains volunteering across Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty. They regularly run training and networking events to support local volunteer managers.

> Visit the Volunteering Services website to learn more about the support available for your organisation and those managing your volunteers

• Volunteering New Zealand – national leadership, research, and resources for the volunteer sector, including the State of Volunteering in Aotearoa New Zealand reports.

 

Articles and Ongoing Reading

Stay up to date with people management thinking and trends.

 

• The latest updates on Human Resources Management – news and articles on HR topics – Human Resources New Zealand (HRNZ) 

• HR News  – online news, opinion, and analysis on employment and people issues – Human Resource Director (HRD)

• Articles on people and leadership – CommunityNet Aotearoa

> NOTE: CommunityNet Aotearoa is a mine of information about a wide range of topics to help charities and not-for-profits.